Press Release July 2007
Alliance Calls for Humane Action for Roma Living on Ballymun Roundabout
July 18th 2007
Inhumane Living Conditions in Ireland- Not Acceptable, Action Demanded Now.
The situation where a group of 32 Roma adults and 22 children continue to live in horrific conditions on one of the busiest road junctions in the country, the M50 needs urgent attention. This crisis situation is worsening on a daily basis. Bad weather, with some of the worst rain on record for the month of June, no running water, no rubbish collection, no heat or adequate shelter are contributing to the dire living circumstances of these Romanian Roma families.
In response to the continuing refusal to respond by the HSE (although at local level HSE staff have been working very hard to create positive outcomes for the families) and Local Authority, an alliance of organisations has come together seeking immediate humanitarian intervention for these homeless families on the basis that:
50 men, women and children are living in deplorable conditions without shelter, running water or sanitation facilities. The roundabout is infested with rubbish and vermin and due to the location of the makeshift camp the risk of injury or fatality from a traffic accident is of serious concern. In order to avert a road accident and a public health crisis we are seeking urgent humanitarian intervention.
The Homeless Strategy names the four Dublin Local Authorities and HSE Homeless Persons Unit as those responsible for providing emergency accommodation. These agencies need to act immediately to assist these families in leaving the roundabout and into emergency accommodation. We call on these agencies to provide the supports desperately needed to affect positive outcomes for these families.
We believe the lack of action by the HSE and Local Authority is contrary to the EU Charter for Fundamental Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Furthermore under the Child Care Act 1991, the HSE has a statutory responsibility to protect and promote the welfare of all the children in the State.
We the undersigned demand immediate humanitarian assistance for these families by the statutory agencies responsible. This is a matter of families’ lives being at risk and is not acceptable in Ireland in 2007.
Anastasia Crickley, Chair of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency,
Pavee Point Travellers Centre,
Conference of Religious of Ireland,
Crosscare,
Dublin Simon
Focus Ireland,
Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed,
Community Workers Coop,
Children’s Rights Alliance,
St Margaret's Traveller Community Association Ballymun,
ATD 4th World,
National Women’s Council of Ireland,
European Anti Poverty Network,
Integrating Ireland,
National Travellers Women’s Forum,
National Adult Literacy Agency,
Roma Support Group,
Women’s Aid,
Irish Traveller Movement,
European Network Against Racism,
Irish Association of Social Workers
Ballymun Homeless Forum
Ballymun Intercultural Group
Parish of the Travelling People
Cairde
Capuchin Day Centre
Simon Communities of Ireland
ENDS
Further information:
- Opportunity for Ireland to Promote Human Rights Should Not be Missed - Crosscare
- Irish Traveller Movement supports Pavee Point in its role in highlighting humanitarian crisis of Roma at M50
- 26 July 2007 - Pavee Point Statement
- Statement from ATD Fourth World
- 24 July 2007 - Press Release: Roma Repatriation
- Romani CRISS reports and Photographs
- Statement by the Children's Rights Alliance: Roma Crisis
- 24 July 2007 - Point of clarification
- 23 July 2007 - Pavee Point rejects accusations of the Embassy of Romania in Ireland
- 23 July 2007 - Press Release: Response to the Statement from the Romanian Embassy
- 21 July 2007 - Press Release: Deportation Notices an Inadequate Response to Roma Crisis
- Press Release June 07: Pavee Point and the Roma Support Group calls on Government to offer humane support to Roma Families camping on roundabout.
- Case Study: Rostas Family
- Statement from Anastasia Crickley of the the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
- Social Workers call for action to reunite children with parents. Press release from the Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW)
- Social Workers call for government action on Roma family crisis in North Dublin
- Photographs from the scene at the Ballymun Roundabout
- Background context report by ERRC, Romania: State of Impunity Human Rights Abuse of Roma in Romania (PDF)
- Extract from Council of Europe/European Commission against Racism and Intolerence: Third Report on Roma (PDF)
- Campaign Support: How to support the Roma
For further details please contact Ronnie Fay, Sara Russell or Press Officer: Terry Battles on (01) 8780255
Issued by Pavee Point Travellers Centre, 46 North Great Charles St., Dublin 1.